Media: Russia faces mobile internet blackouts in some regions

In certain regions of Russia, mobile internet has been shut down indefinitely. According to official statements, the restrictions were imposed for security reasons around critical infrastructure sites. Residents can either use Wi‑Fi or wait for federal authorities to lift the block.

As reported by Caliber.Az, citing Novye Izvestia, restrictions have been introduced in parts of Ulyanovsk and surrounding settlements. Regional authorities and local media say federal bodies and target areas ordered the measures near “special-purpose facilities.” Maps of affected zones are not being published “for security reasons,” and the duration of the restrictions is officially unspecified. Oleg Yagfarov, the regional Minister of Digital Development, said that without further instructions from above, networks could remain limited “until the end of the special military operation (SMO).”

The Regional Management Center and press offices later clarified that this is not a total shutdown across the region, but rather geographically selective restrictions around critical sites. Officially, it is described as “targeted shutdowns in security zones”, not a region-wide outage.

Yesterday, mobile internet also disappeared in Saint Petersburg. Users reported that on 11 November, mobile internet suddenly stopped working in several parts of the city. Operators stated that there were no technical faults on their side. One operator explained that the restrictions are related to security measures. Roskomnadzor (RKN) said it has no information about the cause of the outage, according to local outlet Fontanka.

“Security measures have now been implemented in your region to ensure protection (as in many other regions) due to the situation in the country,” reads a message from one provider.

In the Khabarovsk Territory, users have reported frequent mobile internet disruptions. Local media say authorities justify the outages as necessary to protect infrastructure and residents. While previous interruptions were temporary, federal authorities have now made the restrictions permanent. Regional officials indicate that mobile internet could remain limited until the conclusion of the special military operation (SMO) and the achievement of its objectives. Residents are advised to use Wi‑Fi for internet access.

Disruptions have also been reported in Ryazan, Tula, Saratov, Sochi, and Krasnodar.

According to reports, mobile internet shutdowns in Russia have become increasingly common in recent months and years. Data from independent monitoring projects and human rights groups show a sharp rise in such outages, with hundreds of incidents occurring across different regions in short periods. Some outlets describe this trend as a record high in mobile network interruptions.

Since May 2025, large-scale mobile internet restrictions have been implemented across multiple Russian regions.

By Vugar Khalilov